About

Situated in the heart of New Plymouth, the TSB Festival of Lights transforms the beautiful botanic setting of Pukekura Park into a wonderland of light for seven weeks.

This year you'll experience 16 light installations, including 10 that are new! Get a sneak peek of the lights.

But it's not all about lights - the festival also offers an awesome summer programme that includes evening entertainment from emerging and established artists, more than twenty daytime Summer Scene activities for children and families, and a dedicated seniors programme. See the lineup of entertainment.

Catch a ride to the festival for free!

Free regional buses, supported by TSB Community Trust, depart from:

• Hawera/Eltham/Stratford/Inglewood
• Urenui/Waitara/Bell Block
• Opunake/Okato/Oakura

Buses will be running:

• Saturday 5 January
• Saturday 12 January
• Saturday 19 January

Phone 06 757 5783 to register or book below. Departure details will be confirmed at the time of booking.

Bookings close at midday, one day prior to the event. You must be 14 years or over to use this bus service unless accompanied by an adult.

Light Bites

For the first time, you can enjoy a range of delicious food truck cuisine at the festival. Stop by the festival hub in the Bellringer Pavilion and enjoy a meal at the seating provided, as you stroll through the park, or while you watch a performance.

Light Bites will be running 7-10pm on selected nights.

22, 23, 29, 30 and 31 December
4, 5, 12, 18 and 19 January

Tea House on the Lake

Tea House on the Lake, including its kiosk, will be open each evening selling ice-creams along with other food and drinks. The coffee cart will be situated at the Hatchery Lawn from 26 December.

BYO picnic

You're welcome to bring your own picnic to enjoy on the stage lawns.

During the entertainment programme, liquor may be consumed in a responsible manner on the stage lawn where an act is performing. This applies until 11pm on the Hatchery Lawn and Fred Parker Lawn. A liquor ban is in place for all other areas of Pukekura Park between 7pm and 7am. Failure to comply may result in seizure of liquor and/or arrest and prosecution.

Hire a boat and enjoy the magical lights from the Main Lake. Get in early because the row boats book out fast!

Time: 10am – 10pm daily, except Christmas Day
Where: By the band rotunda
Cost: $15 per boat (maximum 20 minutes)
Bookings: On-site at the caravan by the band rotunda or at Tea House on the Lake. Booking and hire conditions apply.

Getting Around the Park

The light trail has a steep gradient in parts which could prove difficult to navigate for those in wheelchairs or with limited mobility, however, access is possible if you have assistance.

Accessible / Limited Mobility Parking

Limited mobility parking spaces are available outside Pukekura Park on Fillis Street. Between 6pm and 7am the following day, main gate access to the Bellringer Pavilion car park is restricted to pedestrian access only and closed to all vehicles.

Limited Mobility Buggy Tours

Friends of Pukekura Park are offering buggy tours to those with limited mobility who want to experience the festival. Bookings are essential.
Date: 7, 8, 14, 15, 21, 22, 28 and 29 January
Time: 8.30pm – 10pm
To book: 06 759 6060 or enquiries@npdc.govt.nz

Wheelchairs

The festival has two wheelchairs available for hire to assist with getting around the park. Bookings are essential.
Dates: 16 December – 3 February
Time: 8.30pm – 10.30pm
Location: Bellringer Pavilion car park/ festival hub
To book: 06 759 6060 or enquiries@npdc.govt.nz

Mobility Scooters

Due to unforeseen circumstances, the mobility scooters are not available at this time. We apologise for any inconvenience. Limited mobility buggy tours and wheelchairs are available. See above for details.

Where can I park?
Between 6pm and 7am the following day, main gate access to the Bellringer Pavilion car park/festival hub is restricted to pedestrian access only. Parking is available at TSB Stadium carpark, located off Rogan Street, at the Rogan and Victoria Street car parks and surrounding streets. Accessible/limited mobility car parking is located along Fillis Street.

What time do the lights come on?
The lights will be on every night from 8.30pm until 11pm from Sunday 16 December 2018 through to Sunday 3 February 2019. A siren will sound at 10.45pm every night as a warning that the lights will soon be switched off.

What happens if I lose my children?
Although we take every safety precaution in the organisation of events, as a parent or caregiver, you are responsible for supervising your children.  We recommend you write your cell phone number on their arm and create an agreed meeting point within your group in case someone does get lost. 

Can I ride my bike through the park?
No, Pukekura Park is a pedestrian-friendly park which gets very busy during the Festival, so please leave your bikes at home. The riding of bikes is prohibited within Pukekura Park at all times.

Can I bring my dog?
No, for the comfort of all users, please leave your pets at home. There is a dog ban from 7.00pm - midnight during the festival.

Can I bring a picnic and wine?
Yes, you can bring your picnic and wine to enjoy on the Hatchery Lawn and the Fred Parker Lawn during the performances.  Please note that a park-wide liquor ban is in place for all other areas of Pukekura Park between 7pm and 7am.

Are there places to buy food?
Yes, Teahouse on the Lake is open during the festival and new to the festival this year is Light Bites, a range of food trucks that will be serving food on selected evenings.

Do the lights ever get cancelled in wet weather?
No, the lights will run as scheduled throughout the festival from Sunday 16 December 2018 to Sunday 3 February 2019.

Some events may be affected by weather, and in those cases we may need to cancel or change to a wet weather venue. Check the event listing for any changes.

How can I share my feedback?
We strive to create a festival that everyone loves, so your feedback is always welcome. Fill out our survey at the festival hub within the park  to share your thoughts.

What do I do with lost and found items?

If you have lost an item at the park, please get in touch with the NPDC contact centre. 06 759 6060 or enquiries@npdc.govt.nz.

If you find something, please take it to the festival hub between 8pm - 10.30pm or hand it in to security. 

We want to create a festival that keeps you coming back for more! To do this, you need to tell us what you’ve enjoyed and what could be done better. Complete our survey and you’ll be in to win one of three Samsung Galaxy S9 from Spark Taranaki Business Hub. 

Prizes sponsored by:

Be in to win 1,000 Airpoints Dollars™ when you share your photos from the festival! Use #flywiththefestival when you upload any TSB Festival of Lights photos to Facebook or Instagram and you're in the draw.

Read terms and conditions

Terms and conditions apply:

1. Entry to the photo competition (“the competition”) constitutes acceptance of these terms and conditions.

2. The entrant is invited to take a photo of themselves enjoying the TSB Festival of Lights and share the photo on Facebook and/or Instagram using the hashtag #flywiththefestival (“the Entrant”). If the hashtag is not attached to the photo, the photo will not be entered into the competition.

3. The competition opens on 16 December 2018 and closes on 3 February 2019 at 11pm (“the Promotional Period”). Photos received after the end of the Promotional Period are ineligible for entry.

4. The New Plymouth District Council (“the Promoter”) will, at the end of each of the seven weeks during the Promotional Period select one photo from all entries received during that week (“the Photo of the Week”). The seven selected Photos of the Week will be posted on the TSB Festival of Lights Facebook page on 4 February 2019.

5. From 10am on 4 February 2019 until 9am on 11 February 2019 the public can vote, through Facebook, for the best photo (“the Voting Period”). The winning photo will be the Photo of the Week that generates the largest amount of ‘likes’ and ‘loves’ on Facebook during the Voting Period. In the event of a tie the photo with the greatest number of ‘loves’ will be declared the winning photo.

6. The prize (“the Prize”) is 1,000 Airpoints Dollars™ which will be credited into the prize winners Airpoints™ account. Please note it may take up to 5 working days for these Airpoints Dollars™ to be reflected in the Airpoints™ account. Winner will need to be an existing Airpoints™ member or will need to sign up for Airpoints™ to be eligible for the prize.

7. Employees of the Promoter, TSB, Air New Zealand and the immediate family members of those employees are ineligible to enter.

8. Each entry, correctly submitted during the Promotional Period, will be entered into the competition.

9. The Entrant must obtain the written consent of clearly identifiable persons featured in their photo.

10. The Entrant, under the age of 18 years, must acknowledge that they have their parent/legal guardian's permission to enter the competition and that if their photo is selected as the winning photo their parent/legal guardian will be awarded the Prize. The Entrant’s parent/legal guardian will be required to sign acceptance of the terms and conditions of entry prior to claiming the Prize.

11. The Promoter is not responsible for any technical malfunctions or problems with the internet or network congestion, including any problems with transmission of entries over the internet.

12. To the fullest extent permitted by law the Promoter will not be liable for any loss or damage whatsoever incurred by the Entrant participating in the competition or accepting the Prize. Nothing in these terms and conditions is intended to exclude, restrict or modify the Entrant’s rights under the Consumer Guarantees Act 1993.

13. The Entrant agrees that the Promoter, TSB and Air New Zealand may use their name and photo submitted for promotional, media and publicity purposes (including the social media and website pages and other promotional channels of the Promoter, TSB and Air New Zealand) now or in the future whether or not such entry is the winning entry.

14. The Promoter will notify the winning entrant by publishing their entry photo and their name on the TSB Festival of Lights Facebook page on Monday 11 February 2019. The winning entry will also be published on the TSB Festival of Lights website, Instagram and other promotional channels.

15. To claim the Prize, the winning entrant must send a private message to the TSB Festival of Lights Facebook page, and include their email address and daytime contact phone number. The Prize can only be claimed by the winning entrant and their Facebook profile must match the Facebook profile registered. If the winning entrant does not contact the Promoter by 5pm on Friday 16 February 2019 then the Promoter is entitled to offer the Prize to the photo that generated the second highest amount of ‘likes’ and ‘loves’. The Promoters’ decision is final and no correspondence will be entered into.

16. Where the Prize is to be supplied by an entity outside the Promoter’s control and that entity fails to supply the Prize, the Promoter has no responsibility for the provision of the Prize and is not obliged to provide an alternative prize or take legal action to require the Prize supplier to provide the Prize.

17. The Prize is non-transferable, or redeemable for cash.

18. The Promoter reserves the right, at any time, to verify the validity of an entry and the Entrant (including the Entrant's identity, age and place of residence) and to disqualify any entrant who submits an entry that is not in accordance with these terms and conditions or who tampers with the entry process. Failure by the Promoter to enforce any of its rights at any stage does not constitute a waiver of those rights.

19. The Entrant acknowledges that the competition is not sponsored, endorsed or administered by, or associated with Facebook and release and indemnify Facebook from any and all direct or indirect loss or damage whatsoever as a result of participating in the competition or accepting the Prize except for any liability that cannot be excluded by law.

20. The Promoter may cancel, modify, suspend, or terminate the competition (including without limitation varying the Prize) at any time by notice published on the TSB Festival of Lights website.

21. Privacy Act 1993: Subject to the waiver of privacy as evidenced by the entrant’s entry the Promoter, when collecting personal information will comply with the Privacy Act 1993.

Go to AirNZ's website

This incredible community event couldn’t happen without the support of visitors like you. Please help us to keep delivering this festival free of charge and make a donation at one of the donation boxes around the park.

I Love FOL Collection Nights

You can support the hard work of our charity partner Taranaki Life Education Trust by looking out for volunteers collecting donations on Saturday and Sunday nights during entertainment events. 

Volunteer at the festival

Our volunteers are the face of the festival and provide fun and friendly information points and guidance to people within the park over the TSB Festival of Lights season which runs from 16 December 2018 to 3 February 2019.

Why volunteer at the festival?

• Give something back to your community
• Share the experience of volunteering with a friend or family – do it together! Or meet new people and make friends
• Get an exclusive sneak peak of the Festival before it officially starts
• Receive an official TSB FOL T-shirt and an invite to an exclusive post festival volunteers event

If you're interested in volunteering, get in touch.